The present invention relates to an improved retaining tool of heat radiator and, more particularly, to an improved retaining tool capable of shrinking the volumes of electronic apparatuses such as computer mainframes to let them be more portable, thereby enhancing competitive capability in market.
Along with progress of scientific technology, the processing speed of electronic apparatuses such as computer mainframes, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and so on become faster and faster, and heat generated therein also becomes more and more. In order to effectively radiate the heat generated in the electronic apparatuses out of the system so that each element therein can operate under admissible temperatures, heat radiators have become indispensable accessories. A retaining tool must be used to join a heat radiator and a heat-emitting element (e.g., a chip or a central processing unit (CPU)) on a motherboard in an electronic apparatus so that the heat radiator can be firmly positioned on the heat-emitting element to help the heat-emitting element radiate out heat, thereby letting the electronic apparatus operate normally.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a heat radiator 10 is integrally formed of metal. Two projective lugs 101 extend from an upper end and a lower end at two sides of the heat radiator 10, respectively. A cavity 102 is formed on each of the two projective lugs 101.
Two retaining tools 11 are also provided. A head portion 111 and a barb portion 112 are disposed at an upper end and a lower end of each of the retaining tools 11, respectively (as shown in FIG. 2). Each of the retaining tools 11 can be sleeved into a spring 12. The retaining tools 11 can be inserted into the cavities 102 of the projective lugs 101 extending from the heat radiator 10 so that the barb portions 112 at the lower ends of the retaining tools 11 can be joined in pre-reserved holes 131 on a motherboard 13. The retaining tools 11 are used to position the heat radiator 10 on a heat-emitting element 132 of the motherboard 13, hence helping the heat-emitting element 132 radiate out heat.
Because the barb portions 112 of the retaining tools 11 are joined in the pre-reserved holes 131 of the motherboard 11, the projective lugs 101 must extend from two sides of the heat radiator 10 so that the heat radiator 10 can be positioned on the heat-emitting element 132 on the motherboard 13. However, electronic apparatuses tend to be compact nowadays. Under the restriction of limited space, the projective lugs 101 of the heat radiator 10 will occupy more space and hinder the disposition of other elements and the circuit layout on the motherboard 13, hence letting the electronic apparatuses not conform to the trend of compactness and generating the trouble of bad portability.
Moreover, because the heat radiator 10 is fixed in the pre-reserved holes 131 of the motherboard 13, the disposition of the pre-reserved holes 131 must be very accurate to facilitate insertion of the retaining tools 11. Therefore, the pre-reserved holes 131 must be drilled in the motherboard 13, hence reducing production and assembly speed and increasing the production cost.
Accordingly, the above heat radiator and retaining structure have inconvenience and drawbacks in practical installation or use. The present invention aims to resolve the problems in the prior art.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved retaining tool of heat radiator to effectively save the space, avoid hindering disposition of other elements and circuit layout on a motherboard, shrink the volumes of electronic apparatuses to let them conform to the trend of compactness, hence achieving good portability and enhancing competitive capability in market.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved retaining tool of heat radiator, whereby a heat radiator and a heat-emitting element can be joined without the need of disposing pre-reserved holes on a motherboard, hence facilitating installation of the heat radiator, enhancing the throughput, and reducing the production cost.
To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides an improved retaining tool of heat radiator comprising a heat radiator and two retaining tools. Two slide grooves are disposed at two opposite sides of the heat radiator, respectively. The slide grooves can be used to join the two retaining tools at two sides of the heat radiator. A first hook board and a long board body are formed on each of the retaining tools. One side of the long board body forms a second hook board. The first hook board and the second hook board can be hooked and joined at the bottom of a heat-emitting element of a motherboard. An inverse U-shaped groove is disposed at a side of the second hook board. A tool (e.g., a screwdriver) can be inserted into the inverse U-shaped groove so that the retaining tools can be wrenched to separate the retaining tools from the heat-emitting element.
The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing, in which: